Newsletter

Humane Society: Keep poisons away from pets

The azaleas are blooming — a sure sign that it’s springtime in Savannah. And folks are out sprucing up their yards and gardens, in many cases with the aid of herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers — all potential threats to our pets.

The ASPCA operates a national Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, Ill., where more than 180,000 calls about pets exposed to possibly poisonous substances were received in 2012.

The effects of poisoning can range from something as simple and transient as vomiting to much more serious conditions like seizures, internal bleeding and even death.

Three of the top 10 reported toxins are in products frequently used this time of year: insecticides, rodenticides and lawn and garden products.

It is essential to read product labels to identify dangers. It’s also important to keep an eye on your pets when they are in those outdoor areas where you have applied products like fertilizer and mulch.

We all know how curious and resourceful our pets can be, so being mindful of where and how you store these products, the tools you’ve used and where there may have been spillage can help prevent a crisis.

A fourth source of toxins is the plants themselves — the only one in the top 10 where cat exposures outnumber dogs. So when selecting plant varieties, for indoors and out, keep your pets in mind.

Most animal poison control calls result from human carelessness.

Prescription and over-the-counter human medications are the first and third most common reasons. Many of the exposures are due to people dropping their medications when preparing to take them, and before they knew it, Fido had gobbled the pill off the floor.

Veterinary products and medications are also among the top 5. Since pet medications are often flavored to make them easier to administer, it’s not surprising that if given the chance, pets will ingest an entire bottle.

Rounding out the top 10 are household products, people food (sugar substitute xylitol can cause seizures and liver failure in dogs) and chocolate.

Should you have any reason to suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, immediately contact your veterinarian or the Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at 888-426-4435.